Health

Unless you are planning to visit the more remote parts of eastern Turkey, for which tetanus, typhoid, and hepatitis shots might be a good idea. As no inoculations are actually required to visit Turkey, your best course is to ask your doctor’s advice in the matter and then follow it, of just get as many or as few shots as you need to make you feel safe and happy.

the same goes for health insurance. Get as much or as little as needed to make you feel comfortable. But remember, if you do get helath insurance you want to make sure (as with car insurance) that it covers both European and Asian Turkey.

For all minor aches and pains you should go along to the nearest pharmact (eczane). Turkish pharmacists are very competent diagnosticians and, what’s more, they have a much wider range of drugs that tey are permitted to sel you without a prescription than do their American and WEST European counterparts. In the case of more serious complaints, you will find well-trained doctors and dentists in almost every town, many of whom, especially in the big cities and reort areas, speak English.

In emergencies, you should go to the nearest hospital (hastane) or Red Crescent clinic, taking your own disposable syringes with you if you have them. The level of care may not be quite what you would expect to find in some other countries, but it is adequate. And it is very inexpensive.